Tea Party group offers $20K to help Carr beat Alexander

A conservative political action committee announced Wednesday that it will assist efforts to defeat U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander with a get-out-the-vote campaign in favor of Rep. Joe Carr, one of the senator's six primary challengers.

The Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund said it will give the Real Conservatives National Committee $20,000 for its "Beat Lamar" effort. The money will be used to assist the group's "ground game" during early voting and the Aug. 7 election.

Fund chairman Jenny Beth Martin said the money supplements training the Tea Party Patriots group has done already and Beat Lamar's own spending. She said the group also plans to support efforts to defeat Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts, who faces a similar primary challenge in early August.

The announcement comes a day after radio show host Laura Ingraham traveled to Nashville to fire up a Beat Lamar rally. The event was meant to build momentum for Carr, a three-term state representative from Lascassas who has trailed Alexander throughout the race financially.

Alexander also faces Memphis physician George Flinn and four other candidates in the Republican primary.